Multilevel block codes for Rayleigh-fading channels

New multilevel block codes for Rayleigh-fading channels are presented. At high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), the proposed block codes can achieve better bit error performance over TCM codes, optimum for fading channels, with comparable decoder complexity and bandwidth efficiency. The code construction is based on variant length binary component block codes. As component codes for the 8-PSK multilevel block construction, the authors propose two modified forms of Reed-Muller codes giving a good trade-off between the decoder complexity and the effective code rates. Code design criteria are derived from the error performance analysis. Multistage decoding shows very slight degradation of bit error performance relative to the maximum likelihood algorithm